In the art of tailgate and loader systems for trucks, for example, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,706,565, 2,850,187 and 4,563,121, there have been systems designed for use on dump trucks having a pivotally supported body including a flat bed and parallel side walls. One type of such tailgate loader system is marketed by Del America Corporation and includes a pair of vertical extendable tracks which are mounted on the rear surfaces of the body side walls. The tracks carry a U-shaped frame which supports a pivotal tailgate, and the tailgate may be pivoted on a top axis for dumping contents from the inclined body. The frame and tailgate may also be pivoted on a bottom axis to a horizontal position to form a platform which is raised and lowered by flexible chains extending around driven sprockets. Another general type of tailgate loader which has been used on dump trucks is disclosed in above mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,187. In this type of loader, the elevating mechanism is mounted on the truck chassis under the rear end portion of the dumping body.
It has been determined that there is a need for a tailgate and loader assembly which can be conveniently and quickly installed on a dump truck of the type which is commonly used by municipalities and state highway departments. This type of dump truck has a large capacity dumping body which is pivoted on an axis located close to the rear of the body directly behind the rear wheels of the truck. These dump trucks are commonly used for plowing snow and spreading salt on the roads and are usually equipped with a hydraulic power supply which is used not only to pivot the body but also to operate a rotary auger or spreader for distributing the salt while the body is inclined to a dumping position.
Frequently, it is desirable to use a municipal-type dump truck for transporting heavy articles which are discarded such as large appliances, old furniture and other large junk items or articles which are too large or bulky or rigid to be compacted in a refuse collection vehicle. When the truck is used for this purpose, it has been found desirable to remove the conventional tailgate and quickly replace it with a combined tailgate and loader unit. After the need for the tailgate and loader unit has ceased, it is desirable to remove the tailgate and loader unit quickly and replace it with the conventional tailgate so that the truck may be used for spreading salt and other purposes. A tailgate and loader unit which can be quickly and easily attached to and removed from a municipal-type dump truck is also highly desirable so that the unit may be used with any one of a series of dump trucks, whichever might be more readily available.